Sectional radio cabinet



May 3, 1949. J. .1. BAUMAN SECTIONAL RADIO CABINET Filed. June Y14, 1944dllllllll R. m m V N ATTORNEY,

Patented May 3, 1949 SECTIONAL RADIO CABINET Joseph J .'Bauman, Chicago,lll., assigner to Kurz- Kasch, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of OhioApplication June 14, 1944, Serial No. 540,265

(Cl. Z50- 16) 14 Claims.

This invention pertains to cabinet structures, and more particularly toradio cabinets of plastic molding materials, and to the mode of assemblythereof.

In the present disclosure there is contemplated a radio cabinetcomprising a plurality of separable sections or units, which areinterchangeable with other like sections of similar shapes but ofdifferent colors or of different ornamental congurations, forcombination with other sections or uni-ts into various combinations toafford a variety of completed cabinets having diierent appearance.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction as well asthe mode of assembly of radio cabinets and the like, whereby they maynot only be economically manufactured, but will be efficient in use,capable of being easily and quickly assembled of maximum strength andunlikely to get out of rapair.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, sectional cabinetwherein the different separable sections thereof may be interchangedwith like sections of other cabinets of different color, finish, orornamental delineation into various combinations to produce from arelatively few molds and molded elements, cabinets of distinctivelydifferent appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofassembly and support of the separable sections, whereby the cabinetsections will be to a great extent relieved of the strain and weight ofthe radio equipment or other devices contained therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a removable support orbase for the radio equipment which base is assembled as a component partof the cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a radio cabinet or thelike having electrical shielding and conductor elements embodied als acomponent part of the cabinet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a radio cabinet or thelike having the advantageous structural features, inherent meritoriouscharacteristics, and mode of assembly and use herein described.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will morefully appear in the specification, the invention intended to beprotected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction,the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or theirequivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled radio cabinet embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of an assembled radio cabinet takenon a substantially medial plane thereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are two fragmentary sectional views taken on the sameplane as Fig. 2 illustrating modications.

Fig. 5 is a plan View partly broken away of the radio equipment base,provided with permanently located electrical conductors.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the same plane as Fig. 2illustrating a further modification.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

The radio industry has long since been interested in permanent colors ofall hues, including pastel shades for radio cabinets, but heretofore thematerials available have not been satisfactory because they lackedmechanical stability. Such available materials when used for moldedradio cabinets have been subject to shrinkage and cracking, and lackedstrength to support the radio equipment, especially when used inportable radio cabinets. By the construction hereinafter described, itis quite possible to produce molded cabinets having tops and bases ofpreferred colors, the tops of which are not subjected to strain, orrequired to perform any mechanical functions. The cabinet parts are notnecessarily rigidly held in place, but may be free for slight relativeshifting movement to compensate for expansion and contraction and thusavoid stresses and strains and consequent fracture.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a simple form ofportable radio cabinet comprising a base section l and a dome or coversection 2, which may be molded of differently colored materials or eachmay have distinctive ornamental configuration.

By assembling bases and domes of different colors or differentornamental designs in various combinations, a quite large variety ofcabinets may be produced from a relatively few molds. The invention isnot limited to merely two sections, but may comprise three or moresections in a single cabinet.

The base section I is duo-functional and includes a continuous top panel3 directly onto which may be mounted thev radio equipment elements asshown in Fig. 2. The base section I thus becomes the radio chassis andsimultaneously a component exposed part of the cabinet.

The top of the base section I is marginally rabbeted at 4 to afford aseat for the cover or dome 2, which is not tightly engaged therein, butis sufficiently loosely seated to enable limited eX- pansion andcontraction, Adjacent its bottom the base section I is interiorlyrabbeted at 5 to receive a bottom panel 5 which may be of fiber board orplywood or other inexpensive nonfragile material.

Centrally disposed within the assembly is a bolt or tie rod 'I having atits upper end a carrying handle 8. The tie rod or bolt 1 extends throughthe top of the dome 2 and through the panel 3 of the base section andthence through the bottom panel 6, where it is engaged by a nut 9.Intermediate the top or the dome 2 and the chassis panel 3 the tie rodor bolt is surrounded by a spacer sleeve I6 which may be of card board,paper pulp or of wood. A similar spacer sleeve I I surrounds the tie rodI intermediate the chassis panel 3 and the bottom panel 6. The bottompanel affords an enclosure for the radio elements and connections whichmay be disposed beneath the top 3 and also sustains the weight of theassembly, relieving the molded sections I and 2 of tension strain,

The entire weight of the assembly of cabinet sections and radioequipment is sustained by the tie rod I and the bottom panel 5, thusminimizing breakage of the molded cabinet portions, and also enablingthe cabinet to be quickly disassembled and reassembled by removal andreengagement of the tie rod I and nut 9.

In some assemblies of radio equipment, it may be desirable to provide ametal shielding for the radio elements, which is easily incorporated, asin Fig. 3 by superimposing an aluminum or other metallic plate I2 on topof the base panel 3, with its margins clamped beneath the side walls ofthe dome or cover section 2, or a sheet of metallic foil may be securedeither to the top or under surface of the panel 3. In lieu thereof theradio equipment may be assembled upon a metallic chassis plate I4 asshown in Fig. 4 in which event the panel 3 of the base section may beentirely l omitted, leaving only the marginal rabbets to receive andsupport the chassis plate I4.

The chassis panel 3 may be formed separately from plastic material witha sheet of metallic shielding foil attached to either its top or underside, and be removably supported on the marginal rabbet 4 as shown inFig. 6. By assembling the radio equipment thereon the latter may bereadily removed for repair or for replacement by merely removing the nut9 and withdrawing the tie bolt 1. As a further means of simplifying theconstruction electrical conductor lines may be applied to either the topor bottom of the base panel 3, as shown in Fig. 5 whether the base panelbe integral with the base I or separately formed and assembled betweenthe sections I and 2. Electroconductive lines I5 comprising the radiocircuit interconnecting the various radio elements may be formed oneither surface of the panel 3 by spraying metal thereon through a maskor otherwise confining it to prescribed lineal areas. Otherwise suchconductor lines I5 may comprise strips of metallic foil adhesivelyapplied to one or both the surfaces of the panel 3 in such relation asto connect the radio elements in proper sequence.

By such construction manufacture of radio sets may be made quiteflexible as to color combinations of the cabinet parts and thecombinations of ornamental designs thereof and the radio lill equipmentmay be rendered quite easily accessible for repair or replacement, andshielding and electrical connections may be economically incorporated.The molded cabinet parts are relieved of strain and stress and breakageis minimized.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto eiect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its formsor modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A radio cabinet, including a base section and a dome or cover sectionboth molded from plastic material and interchangeable with other similarsections o different color or of different ornamental design to affordsundry combinations of distinctive appearance, a horizontal instrumentpanel forming a top for the base section and adapted to support sundryelements of radio enuipment, a bottom for the base section of nonfragilesubstantially rigid material, a tie bolt extending through the dome orcover, the instrument panel and the base bottom, a handle attached tothe top end of the tie bolt and a nut on the lower end thereof beneaththe base bottom, the construction and arrangement being such that theweight of the assembly when carried by the handle is sustained entirelyby the tie bolt and the base bottom, independently of any tensionstrains on the base or dome.

2. A radio cabinet of molded plastic material, including separable upperand lower sections, the lower section serving as a radio base or chassisand the upper section being a dome shaped cover or enclosure therefor, amarginal rabbet coincident with the top of the lower section in whichthe upper section is seated, each of said sections being interchangeablewith other like sections of diierent appearance to afford sundrydistinctive cabinet assemblies, a bottom panel for the lower section, aseat therefor on the lower section against which the bottom panel bears,and a single tie bolt extending centrally through the upper and lowersections and detachably engaged with the bottom panel for detachablyholding said sections in assembled relation, the construction andarrangement being such that the weight .of the assembly vis suspendedupon the tie bolt and bottom panel wholly independently of tensionstrain on the upper or lower sections.

3. A radio cabinet of molded plastic material, including separable baseand cover sections, a seat formed on the base section to receive thecover section and locate it relative to the base section, a chassispanel for support of radio elements removably engaged in said seatintermediate the base and cover section, a bottom panel for said basesection, a tie bolt transxing the cover and base section and the chaisand bottom .panels and aiiixed to the latter, spacer sleeves surroundingthe tie bolt intermediate the cover 4and chassis panel and also betweenthe chassis panel and bottom panel, the construction and arrangementbeing such that the weight of the assembly is sustained by the tie boltand bottom panel independently of tension strains upon the base andcover sections.

4. A radio cabinet, including a base section, a top panelthereior tosupport radio elements, projections on the base section extending abovethe level of the top panel, a cover section seated upon the-base sectionin accordance with said projections, a bottom panel having seatingengagement upon the base section, a tie bolt transxing the coversection, the top panel of the base section and the bottom panel anddetachably engagedwith the latter, the construction and arrangementbeing such that the several parts are separably retained in assembledrelation by the tie bolt and when supported thereby the base and coversections are relieved of tension strain.

5. A radio cabinet, including a base section molded from plasticmaterial including side walls, an integral top panel to support radioequipment, a marginal rabbet formed about the top panel to receive acover section, a bottom panel of non-fragile material. seating areas onthe base section engageable by the bottom panel and a suspension memberextending through the top panel and releasably engageable with thebottom panel for supporting the assembly independently of tension strainon the base section.

6. A radio cabinet, including a hollow base section and a domed coversection both molded from plastic material, locating means upon the basesection for positioning the cover section relative thereto, a radioequipment supporting panel separating the hollow base section from thedomed cover section, a bottom panel of nonfragile material seated on thebase section, a tie bolt releasably interconnecting the top of the coversection through the cover section and hollow base section andintermediate radio equipment supporting panel with the bottom panel,spacer tubes surrounding the tie :bolt intermediate the top of the coversection and the radio equipment supporting panel, and between the latterpanel and the base panel, the construction and arrangement being suchthat the base and cover sections are held in assembled relation by thetie bolt and the weight of the assembly when suspended is sustained bythe base panel and tie bolt independently of tension strain on the baseor cover sections.

7. A radio cabinet, including a base section and a cover sectionengageable upon the base section, both being molded from plasticmaterial, a chassis panel to support radio equipment elements formedintegral with the base section and separating the assembled cabinet intoseparate compartments, a bottom panel for the base section engageabletherewith in spaced relation with the radio chassis panel, a tie boltinterconnecting the cover section and the bottom panel extending throughthe intermediate cover and base compartments and the separating chassispanel.

8. A radio cabinet, including separable base and cover sections, bothmolded from plastic material, matching conformations upon the respectivesections for locating the cover section in superposed relation with thebase section, a chassis panel for support of radio equipment elementscomprising a stratum of dielectric mate- (Fili rial and a parallelcontacting stratum of metal affording an electrical shielding effect,remov-A ably clamped between the cover section and base section, and atie member :for interconnecting the cover and base sections with thechassis panel clamped therebetween.

9. A radio cabinet, including separable base and cover sections, bothmolded from plastic material, matching conformations upon the respectivesections ior locating the cover section in superposed relation with thebase section, a chassis lpanel for support of radio equipment elements,said chassis panel comprising a stratum of dielectric materialandmetallic lines delineated thereon defining an electrical radio circuitcommunicating with radio equipment elements supported upon the chassispanel, and connector means for detachably interconnecting the cover andbase sec-- tions into a unitary assembly, with the chassis panelinterposed therebetween.

10. A radio cabinet, including separable superposed base and coversections of molded plastic material, interchangeable with other likesections of different color or ornamental characteristics .in diierentcombinations to afford cabinet assemblies of diierent appearances, abottom panel engageable with the base section, a chassis panel forsupport of radio equipment elements separating the assembly into upperand lower compartments, and a suspension rod interconnecting the top ofthe cover section with the bottom panel of the base section fortransportation maintaining the parts in assembled relation andsupporting the assembly independently of tension strains lon the baseand cover sections.

11. A radio cabinet, including separable superposed base and coversections of molded plastic imaterial, a chassis panel for support ofradio equipment elements coincident with the top of the base section andseparating the assembly into upper and lower compartments, a bottompanel engageable with the base section in spaced relation with thechassis panel, a suspension rod interconnecting the top of the coversection with the bottom panel of the base section into a unitaryassembly, and a handle attached to the suspenxsion rod for transportingthe assembly, the construction and arrangement being such that theIsuspension rod and bottom panel sustains the weight of the assemblyindependently of strain lon the base and cover sections, duringtransportation.

12. A radio cabinet, including separable base and cover sections moldedfrom plastic material, :a separable chassis panel for support of radioyequipment elements clamped between the base :and cover sections, abottom panel engageable With the base section in spaced relation withthe chassis panel, a connecting bolt interconnecting 'the top of thecover section with the bottom panel of the base section and clamping thechassis panel therebetween, the construction and arrangement being suchthat the weight of the assembly is sustained by the connecting bolt andbottom panel wholly independently of tension strain on the cover andbase sections.

13. A radio cabinet, including separable superposed base and coversections molded from plastic material, a chassis panel of dielectricmaterial for :support of radio equipment elements dividing the :assemblyinto upper and lower compartments, and 'metallic strips aiixed to thechassis panel comprising electroconductors of a radio circuit connectingradio equipment elements mounted there- Aon, a bottom panel engageablewith the base section in parallel spaced relation with` the chassispanel and a single tie, bolt interconnecting the cover section and thebottom panel retaining the several parts in assembled relation.

14. A radio cabinet, including separable superposed base and coversections molded from plastic material, a chassis panel of dielectricmaterial for support` of radio equipment elements dividing the assemblyinto upper andlower compartments., a stratum of metallic materialoverlying at least a portion of the chassis panel and alfordirig-leleotric shielding for at least a portion of the radio equipmentelements mounted on said panel, a bottom panel engaged with the basesection in parallel spaced relation with the chassis panel and a singleinterconnection between the cover section and the bottom panel separablyretaining the several parts in assembled relation.

JOSEPH J. BAUMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number Number OTHER REFERENCES Wireless World, Metal Cabinets," pages27-29,

Z-16.3, July 10, 1929.

